Eyes
by Mousie2003
Summary: It was her eyes that got him the first time around. Her eyes that kept him. And her eyes that told him the inevitable years later. Maybe there was a way to change...
1. disclaimer and inspiration

**Summary:**It was her eyes that got him the first time around. Her eyes that kept him. And her eyes thattold him the inevitable years later. Maybe there way a way to change...

An original story by Mousie2003 with unoriginal characters and inspiration.

* * *

I can't remember the last time that we kissed goodbye  
All our "I love you's" were just not enough to survive  
Something your eyes never told me  
But it's only now too plain to see  
Brilliant disguise when you hold me  
And I'm free  
I've been thinking and here's what I've come to conclude  
Sometimes the distance is more than two people can use  
But how could I have known girl  
It was time and not space you would need  
Darling tonight I could hold you and you would know  
But would you believe

There's a light in your eyes that I used to see  
There's a place in your heart where I used to be  
Was I wrong to assume that you were waiting for me  
There's a light in your eyes  
Did you leave that light burning for me

Cards and phone calls and photograph pictures of you  
Constant reminder of all the things you get used to  
Is there a chance in hell or heaven  
That there's still something here to build on  
Or do you just pick up the pieces after they fall  
But after all

There's a light in your eyes that I used to see  
And a song in the words that you spoke to me  
Was I wrong to believe in your melody  
There's a light in your eyes  
Did you leave that light burning for me

Should I keep on waiting or does love keep on fading away  
Fading away

It's been a while since I've seen you so how have you been  
Did you get my letter I wrote you, but I did not send  
I tried to call your home number  
But the voice that I heard on the phone  
I recognized but she told me the number was wrong

There's a light in my eyes but it's too bright to see  
And a pain in my heart where you used to be  
Guess I was wrong to assume that you were waiting here for me  
There's a light in your eyes  
Did you leave that light burning for me

**"Light in Your Eyes" by Blessid Union of Souls**

**Found on the Albums "Blessid Union of Souls" & "The Singles"

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**Disclaimer:** Don't Own Anything – I Highly Doubt I Even Own My Own Character's… Well Ok I do Own Them…

I'm not one of those kids that beg for reviews because thats rude and unprofessional as an author. You need to write for yourself, not for attention. However, I do appreciate feedback and points with unrealism (or historical accuracy). Enjoy!


	2. i

"Liv, how's your coffee? Want another cup?" Elliot asked his partner over the desk.

It was late. The only two left in the precinct it seemed was Special Victims Unit Detectives Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler, working hard on a recent break in the current case that fell upon their laps that morning. Only the desk lamps and a dim light from the hallway filtered into the bullpen.

"Thanks Elliot. Um yea, if you're getting up I'll have another." She smiled making her eyes sparkle no matter how tired they were starting to look.

Elliot took the green mug from her desk and walked over to the small kitchenette. Of course, could it really be considered a kitchenette? There was a microwave, coffee pot, and sink area adjacent to a full sized refrigerator. He rinsed out the two mugs and decided to brew a fresh pot of coffee.

From the look at the way the evening was already progressing, Elliot and Olivia may be crashing in the crib within a few hours. They were working hard on a case involving a college student from New York University who had been raped and murdered in her residence hall. Unfortunately, the victim was a loner who had only been found after one of her suite mates reported a strong odor coming from her single to the Resident Assistant. On campus police and Residence professionals found the body positioned provocatively on her bed. She was positioned so that her torso covered the width of the bed with her arms dangling from a restraint attached to a metal bed support. Her legs were spread out, cuffed, and one was attached to the headboard and the other the footboard. There were various wounds and bruising on her body, from the attack. There had been a few leads initially in the case, but they were quickly ruled out when the medical examiner received back the deoxyribonucleic acid results back.

The coffee finished brewing; Elliot poured the dark black liquid into the mugs and doctored each to reflect the individual taste. He sauntered back towards the desks and placed the mugs down. He suppressed a yawn and took a sip from his own cup.

"Hey El, take a look at this" Olivia looked at Elliot and motioned towards the screen of the laptop in front of her. They were going through files within the victim's computer and online website visits. Olivia came across a posting in an online journal of the victim's that made have given them a new lead in the case. A large smile formed on Elliot's face after reading through the post.

"Well, do you want to head back tomorrow and talk with that Resident Assistant again? She was already a lot of help, maybe she can help us pinpoint this person as well."

"Sounds good to me." Olivia picked up the coffee for the first time and took a long drink from the ceramic creation.

Elliot returned to his desk and continued to shift through the files on his desk. Some of the photographs revealed a beautiful young woman; identification had shown she was around twenty-one years, and what seemed to be a vibrant family. There were a lot of pictures surrounding some cookouts and nights out. But the dates suddenly stopped in 2004. After that there were no more pictures. He stuffed the photographs back into a file folder and opened up a black hardcover notebook. He sat back in his seat and placed his feet up on the desk before starting to read through the pages.

After about an hour or so, he had discovered that this book was a collection of writing composed by the victim on an assumption. She really had some deep down talent and it was depressing that she was stolen away when she clearly had a future as a possible novelist. He closed the book and placed it back on his desk, finished off his cup of coffee and caught the sight of his partner. At some point while he was reading, she had dozed off to sleep at her desk. Her arms supported her head and her hair had fallen over her face.

Looking at his watch he learned that it was close to three in the morning. Perhaps it was time for both of them to get some sleep. Elliot straightened out his desk and flicked the lamp off. He then walked over to Olivia and shut her light as well before carefully picking her up and heading in the direction of the crib. She must have been out cold because she didn't stir at all. He gently placed her on one of the beds, removed her shoes and adjusted a blanket up to her chin. She readjusted in her sleep to the new surrounding but continued to sleep on. He soon got into the bed across from her and positioned himself so he could look at her. Reaffirming what he already knew. He was in love with his partner and wanted to find a way to let her know and hopefully find that same love in return.


	3. ii

The next morning Elliot awoke to find the bed next to him empty. It was disappointing that he had even fallen asleep to begin with. He would have loved to wake up and see that beautiful angel sleeping near him. This wouldn't be the first time he woke up alone. With Kathy taking off last year he was doing that a lot lately.

He sat up on the bed, ran his hand slowly through the short brown hair on his head, stopping momentarily to vigorously alleviate a problem spot near the crown. He strode over to his clothing locker and opened it up to view a variety of personal items. He removed the toothbrush and paste from the top and walked over towards the bathroom. The cold water ran quickly through his fingers as he splashed some on his face, instantly waking him up. After brushing his teeth, and deciding to forego shaving at that moment, he went back to the crib to get dressed in a suit left for moments like the evening before.

When he got downstairs the squad was already running full force to make a crack in the case they were working on. Olivia walked up to him with a large smile, handing him a cup of coffee.

"Good morning sleepy head."

"Hey, why didn't you wake me earlier?" Elliot asked, noting that the upbeat mood of the detectives that morning.

"You looked so peaceful and we all haven't been sleeping, I was going to give you another half hour before waking you." That smile continued.

"Ok, so what have we got here people?" Cragen emerged from his office looking for the morning brief from his best.

"Well, it looks like our vic had an online journal in which she posted a few entries about confrontations she had with some other students. Hopefully the Resident Assistant will be able to shed some light on who they are and we will bring them in for some questioning" Olivia explained excitedly.

"She also had some great talent for writing," Elliot added. "I had the pleasure to read through some fiction before calling it a night. We are still looking through some of her files, financial records, and receipts, that sort of thing. Maybe we can piece together how she got to the position we found her in."

The other detectives added their two cents about what they had found from looking through the victims personal items relocated from the suite. There were some holes in the investigation and Cragen was adamant to make sure they were filled, and soon.

"Ok, Munch and Fin, I want you to go back to the suitemates. Question them again on what she did for classes and speak to those professors as well. Benson and Stabler, go talk to that Resident Assistant and professionals. Find out whatever you can about these students and question them. Lets close this!" He retreated back to his office and the detectives took off in their separate directions towards the university to start questioning.

* * *

Later that evening, the detectives reconvened and found that they had finally closed the case. During questioning, the Resident Assistant shed light to one of the names as a former boyfriend to the victim. When they questioned him they found enough in his room to help pin him in a warrant, and tests proved that it was his semen left inside.

They all sat around the precinct winding down, completing some paperwork, and acting ridiculous with each other. It was a great way to end a week to complete a case on a Friday afternoon. Eventually Munch and Fin took off leaving just Benson and Stabler. Elliot looked at the time and realized it was close to 6:30pm.

"Hey, Liv. Do you happen to have any plans tonight?" The butterflies started to form at the very pit of his stomach and quickly fluttered up towards his throat.

"HBO and instant macaroni and cheese. Why?"

"Would you like to write a rain check to those two, and perhaps get a drink and bite to eat with me?" Vomit? Why did he just want to vomit? This was like being back in the tenth grade again asking out a real first girlfriend. She smiled at him, was that a good sign?

"Can it be casual? There is a pair of jeans upstairs with my name on it." She questioned, biting her lower lip and slightly tipping her head to the side. Oh innocence was beautiful.

"Of course."

They changed and within a half hour were finally ready to leave the precinct. Elliot drove them to a small sports bar near Olivia's place. There were no major games that evening, so he figured it would be pretty much quiet. They sat, ordered some appetizers and a drink each. Some baseball statistics rolled on the big screen television across the room from them.

"That's amazing! Boston is really kicking some ass and taking names this season." Olivia exclaimed looking as they rolled by.

"Pfft! Red Sox fan. You don't even know what good baseball is." Elliot poked fun at her for her choice in teams.

"Hey, the Red Sox don't need to win the World Series. They are a modest group." Olivia defended with a smile that showed deep down she didn't even believe herself. Elliot simply laughed and moved the conversation on.

Elliot and Olivia stayed at the bar for another few hours, talking about anything and everything. In recollection, Elliot believed that he relinquished the suppressed story of his pants falling down during a spelling bee in the second grade. Nobody knew that except for Kathy. This was a sign for him. The only person he ever told that too he did because he wanted to give her his heart. This time was no different.

It was music to his ears to hear Olivia ask if he wanted to come back to her place and watch a movie. He agreed and went to pay off the tab as Olivia excused herself to go "freshen up" in the ladies room. He felt like clicking his heels in midair he was so excited. They headed back to her place and decided on watching "Fever Pitch."

Elliot eventually wrapped his arm around her and she soon fell asleep on his broad chest. Elliot soon followed in suit, both of them sleeping peacefully in each other's arms. This night would be a first in a series of firsts that the newly formed couple would experience.


	4. iii

It was approximately a year later. Elliot and Olivia were strong from that night on. He had an idea and knew where to go with it. They both got the weekend off from the squad and planned to spend it with each other. Elliot had already been planning for this weekend for a while. In a small duffel bag he packed some clothing including a few items for Olivia.

They had both moved into a large three-bedroom flat in Manhattan together. It was around four that Friday afternoon when Elliot found Olivia in the living room, watching Oprah.

"Hey Liv, lets go." Elliot said, stepping in front of the television set.

"Go where?" She questioned, thoroughly perplexed.

"Out" he smiled and extended his hand to her. She smiled and took it, letting herself be lifted up by him.

"Ok." She said, full of trust.

Elliot had already placed the bags in the Ford Explorer before getting Olivia so she was none the wiser to what was going on. They took off driving. Chit chatting along the way. It took about a half an hour for Olivia to start questioning her surroundings and Elliot's motives.

"Hey El, where are we going?" she finally questioned.

"You'll see, just sit back and relax" he smiled. They soon hit the onramp to the highway and she looked at him again perplexed but didn't question.

About an hour or so later Olivia had only gathered that they were heading north of some sort. Her stomach grumbled loudly and Olivia blushed as she met eyes with Elliot.

"I hate to be that kid, but I am hungry. Is a rest stop anytime in the near future?"

"Yes, I planned on stopping at the next one. I hate for this to be completely unromantic but does McDonald's sound satisfying?" Elliot asked.

"Of course. I just need FOOD!"

They stopped for some dinner, taking about 45 minutes to just rest in the almost deserted rest area on the highway. Olivia knew better than to question where he was taking her, however, given how long they had been on the road, she was hoping deep down that Elliot had thought ahead and brought appropriate clothing for her. For a male, it was pretty good at picking out something appropriate.

After getting back on the road Olivia feel asleep almost immediately. _Perfect._ Elliot thought. He was nearing the Massachusetts border and hated to wake her up but it was a part of the whole weekend he had planned. It was Memorial Day weekend and Elliot had planned to take Olivia into Boston for the entire weekend. They would dine, be tourists, and a huge surprise he had for her.

He saw what he was looking for in the distance. It was getting dusk out with a beautiful sunset in the distance. That would make a perfect picture. He pulled the vehicle over to the breakdown lane right before leaning over to kiss her waking her up. She looked in his eyes.

"Are we there yet?" she yawned.

"Not quite yet. I want you to close your eyes and I'll be around to help you out of the car." She smiled, yet complied without argument.

He ran around to the other side of the car and helped her out leading her over to the spot. Then he positioned her and told her to open her eyes. When she did all she saw were cars speeding along and a tollbooth about half a mile away.

"Elliot…?"

"Liv, your in two places at one time." He whispered, and moved closer to her. She turned around to see the sign. _Welcome to Massachusetts: Home of the 2004 World Series Champions – the Boston Red Sox!_

"Elliot! That is so romantic! But did we really drive three hours for me to straddle a sign?"

"No. But go stand near the sign." He said as he pulled out a camera and started to take a few pictures of Olivia before they returned to the car and continued driving into Massachusetts. Within 45 minutes they reached Boston and the Wyndham Boston hotel down in the historical center of Boston.

It was around 7:00 when Elliot and Olivia settled a little into the hotel room. There was a king sized bed, a desk, armoire, closet and bathroom. The view from the balcony was a beautiful shot of the Boston skyline. Olivia was out on the balcony snapping photographs when Elliot came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her tiny waist.

"So, since we've eaten dinner already, would you like to go out and get dessert?" Elliot asked.

"Yes! Let me just go check on my makeup" she responded and ran off to the bathroom.

_Perfect!_ Elliot quickly dialed room service and requested a platter of strawberries, pineapple, bananas, grapes and chocolate to be delivered at 9pm with a bottle of Sherry and two glasses. Elliot had hung up the phone with just enough time for Olivia to walk out of the bathroom looking amazing.

"Ready to go?" he asked smiling.

"Lead the way, my friend" she smiled back.

They walked around the harbor coast, consuming soft serve ice cream cones and laughing. They occasionally stopped for random photo opportunities. Within their time out they saw Boston Harbor, the Common's, Theatre District, shopped around the Prudential Center and Fanueil Hall area. Olivia took a goofy picture underneath a statue of Samuel Adam's.

They arrived back to the hotel room around 9:15pm, and as scheduled, the platter had arrived.

"Elliot this is already amazing" she smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him softly. He tried to lengthen the kiss but she pulled away and immediately dove into the chocolate fondue with a piece of pineapple.

"Oh my! This is amazing! Let's order a movie and move this to the bed." She exclaimed.

Elliot moved the platter to the bed while Olivia went to the closet to change into a camisole and pajama pants. In the meantime, Elliot yelled back purchasable movies for they to watch. They decided to watch Runaway Bride.

They shared the food and Sherry. By the end of the movie she had dozed off with his arm around her. He carefully moved his arm and got her under the covers. He called in an early morning wake up call for the long day he had prepared, including a huge surprise later that evening.


	5. iv

_I don't usually leave notes but: _

_a. Thanks to all the reviewers - makes me feel special despite the note I left in the disclaimer._

_b. I apologize for taking to long with this chapter. Summer course work caught up to me at once. Eww_

_c. Yankee's fans - sorry but thats what makes this fiction! _

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It was approximately a year later. Elliot and Olivia were strong from that night on. He had an idea and knew where to go with it. They both got the weekend off from the squad and planned to spend it with each other. Elliot had already been planning for this weekend for a while. In a small duffel bag he packed some clothing including a few items for Olivia.

They had both moved into a large three-bedroom flat in Manhattan together. It was around four that Friday afternoon when Elliot found Olivia in the living room, watching Oprah.

"Hey Liv, lets go." Elliot said, stepping in front of the television set.

"Go where?" She questioned, thoroughly perplexed.

"Out" he smiled and extended his hand to her. She smiled and took it, letting herself be lifted up by him.

"Ok." She said, full of trust.

Elliot had already placed the bags in the Ford Explorer before getting Olivia so she was none the wiser to what was going on. They took off driving. Chit chatting along the way. It took about a half an hour for Olivia to start questioning her surroundings and Elliot's motives.

"Hey El, where are we going?" she finally questioned.

"You'll see, just sit back and relax" he smiled. They soon hit the onramp to the highway and she looked at him again perplexed but didn't question.

About an hour or so later Olivia had only gathered that they were heading north of some sort. Her stomach grumbled loudly and Olivia blushed as she met eyes with Elliot.

"I hate to be that kid, but I am hungry. Is a rest stop anytime in the near future?"

"Yes, I planned on stopping at the next one. I hate for this to be completely unromantic but does McDonald's sound satisfying?" Elliot asked.

"Of course. I just need FOOD!"

They stopped for some dinner, taking about 45 minutes to just rest in the almost deserted rest area on the highway. Olivia knew better than to question where he was taking her, however, given how long they had been on the road, she was hoping deep down that Elliot had thought ahead and brought appropriate clothing for her. For a male, it was pretty good at picking out something appropriate.

After getting back on the road Olivia feel asleep almost immediately. _Perfect._ Elliot thought. He was nearing the Massachusetts border and hated to wake her up but it was a part of the whole weekend he had planned. It was Memorial Day weekend and Elliot had planned to take Olivia into Boston for the entire weekend. They would dine, be tourists, and a huge surprise he had for her.

He saw what he was looking for in the distance. It was getting dusk out with a beautiful sunset in the distance. That would make a perfect picture. He pulled the vehicle over to the breakdown lane right before leaning over to kiss her waking her up. She looked in his eyes.

"Are we there yet?" she yawned.

"Not quite yet. I want you to close your eyes and I'll be around to help you out of the car." She smiled, yet complied without argument.

He ran around to the other side of the car and helped her out leading her over to the spot. Then he positioned her and told her to open her eyes. When she did all she saw were cars speeding along and a tollbooth about half a mile away.

"Elliot…?"

"Liv, your in two places at one time." He whispered, and moved closer to her. She turned around to see the sign. _Welcome to Massachusetts: Home of the 2004 World Series Champions – the Boston Red Sox!_

"Elliot! That is so romantic! But did we really drive three hours for me to straddle a sign?"

"No. But go stand near the sign." He said as he pulled out a camera and started to take a few pictures of Olivia before they returned to the car and continued driving into Massachusetts. Within 45 minutes they reached Boston and the Wyndham Boston hotel down in the historical center of Boston.

It was around 7:00 when Elliot and Olivia settled a little into the hotel room. There was a king sized bed, a desk, armoire, closet and bathroom. The view from the balcony was a beautiful shot of the Boston skyline. Olivia was out on the balcony snapping photographs when Elliot came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her tiny waist.

"So, since we've eaten dinner already, would you like to go out and get dessert?" Elliot asked.

"Yes! Let me just go check on my makeup" she responded and ran off to the bathroom.

_Perfect!_ Elliot quickly dialed room service and requested a platter of strawberries, pineapple, bananas, grapes and chocolate to be delivered at 9pm with a bottle of Sherry and two glasses. Elliot had hung up the phone with just enough time for Olivia to walk out of the bathroom looking amazing.

"Ready to go?" he asked smiling.

"Lead the way, my friend" she smiled back.

They walked around the harbor coast, consuming soft serve ice cream cones and laughing. They occasionally stopped for random photo opportunities. Within their time out they saw Boston Harbor, the Common's, Theatre District, shopped around the Prudential Center and Fanueil Hall area. Olivia took a goofy picture underneath a statue of Samuel Adam's.

They arrived back to the hotel room around 9:15pm, and as scheduled, the platter had arrived.

"Elliot this is already amazing" she smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him softly. He tried to lengthen the kiss but she pulled away and immediately dove into the chocolate fondue with a piece of pineapple.

"Oh my! This is amazing! Let's order a movie and move this to the bed." She exclaimed.

Elliot moved the platter to the bed while Olivia went to the closet to change into a camisole and pajama pants. In the meantime, Elliot yelled back purchasable movies for they to watch. They decided to watch Runaway Bride.

They shared the food and Sherry. By the end of the movie she had dozed off with his arm around her. He carefully moved his arm and got her under the covers. He called in an early morning wake up call for the long day he had prepared, including a huge surprise later that evening.

Around 6:30 am the telephone sprung Elliot Stabler out of a deep sleep. As on cue he answered the way he almost always answers a phone.

"Stabler!" he spat out. On the other end was a recording of a lovely sounding lady reminding him that it was 6:30 in the morning and it was time to wake up and start his day.

He sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes while grabbing the remote control to turn on the local news. He then leaned over and gently shook Olivia out of her sleep.

"Five more minutes, Mom" she grumbled. He smiled and leaned down to kiss her on the forehead.

"Wake up, Liv. Take a shower. We have a long day ahead." She rolled over and off the bed and into the bathroom.

Once Elliot heard the water running he started the in room coffee pot to get the day started. She came out and got changed into one of the few articles of clothing he had picked out for her. This time he had picked a pair of jeans, red tee shirt, and her Red-Sox jersey. As she got dressed he went to take a shower, taking his outfit with him. When he emerged he was dressed similarly – with one large exception – he wore a Yankee's jersey.

"Ha. Elliot, you realize you may get hurt in this city wearing that shirt right? It's the same fear I take wearing mine around New York" she continued to chuckle.

"Let's just get out of here. Breakfast awaits!"

They left and walked towards the best place in Massachusetts to enjoy breakfast: Dunkin Donuts! In all actuality neither one of them were overly hungry so they opted to try the distinguished chain and were very impressed.

That morning they spent time on a Duck Boat. Their conductor was hilarious. The tour of the beautiful city, concluded with a dive into the Charles River. They explored the Museum of Fine Arts, Museum of Science, shopped around the Prudential Center, had a light snack in the common's watching others walk back and forth.

Around 1:00 Elliot pulled a sly trick out of his pocket. He handed Olivia a map of Boston and asked her to locate the Lansdowne Street area.

"Why?" she questioned.

"Just thought we could scout the area for a place to have dinner. Besides isn't that near Fenway Park? Take a picture or two while the sunlight's out."

She agreed silently and opened up the pamphlet to reveal every Sox Girl's dream: tickets to see the Red Sox play the Yankee's that afternoon at Fenway Park. Speechless, she just ran to Elliot and threw her arms around his neck.

"I'll take it that you like your surprise?" he laughed.

"I LOVE it! What are we waiting for? Let's get going!"

They took the train down to Kenmore station and walked to the field. They dared to walk hand in hand, regardless of whatever possessed Elliot to support a team that doesn't even know how to play fair. She didn't realize until they got there that the tickets were behind home plate.

It was a perfect game! The Yankee's were in their usual sore loser stage.Schilling pitched a no-hitter. Elliot had managed to get a ball signed by Varitek for Olivia. And there were only one or two brawls that turned out to be funnier than serious.

For dinner they headed off to the North End to enjoy some real Italian cuisine, with a stop at Mike's Pastry shop afterwards for a cannoli. Then they traveled up for drink reservations at the Top of the Hub.

As they settled into bed, just to be in the comfort of each others arms, Olivia looked up at Elliot and kissed him on the nose.

"Thank you for such a special day" she trailed off.

Soon both fell into a peaceful sleep. The next morning would be filled with some brief Boston fun before the two headed back to the life left in New York City.


End file.
